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The Nautilus was doomed with
bad luck and mechanical problems from the very beginning. Even before the
christening of the ship, the quartermaster, Willard Grimmer was swept
overboard in the New York Harbor and drowned. In spite of this tragedy,
the plans for the expedition went forward. After the christening on March
24, 1931, the Nautilus underwent yet more modification, and took a
test run up the Hudson to Yonkers, eventually making its way to New
London, Connecticut, where she underwent a series of test dives. Finally,
on the morning of June 4, 1931, the Nautilus left the United States
and set out on its trans-Atlantic Crossing. The following week, the
starboard engine broke down and the port engine soon followed. Finally,
on June 14, 1931, the Nautilus sent an SOS and later that day they
were taken undertow by the battleship USS Wyoming. On June 22,
1931, they arrived in Ireland, and then were taken by tug to England for
repairs. On July 28, 1931, they were finally underway again, and arrived
in Bergen, Norway on August 5, 1931, where they took on the scientific
party. |
